"Coufours Perdrix."

"Coufours Perdrix . "

By the Author of " The Noble Soul , " " The T-wo Angels , " "God's Flowers , " & c . How oft illusive is the grasp Of worldly pleasures which we clasp , Responsive to their call ; The sweetest transports we can name , Too long continuous , still the same , By repetition pall .

Thus , a wise Providence ordains Unto his creatures , joys and pains , Waging incessant strife ; Thus , ever varied in it , course , Pain gives to joy contrasted force—Change is the salt of life .

As with our minds , our bodies too , The senses delicate renew Their strength by constant change ; Like butterflies , trom flower to flower , We woo the pleasures of the hour , Rejoicing as vve range .

Precept and practice , hand in hand , History unites in friendly band , Useful , whatever hap ; List to a story of old days , Trite is the moral it conveys , Sufficient— " Verbum sap . "

Attendant at the royal court Of Le Grand Monarque , did resort The nobles , old and young ; Among them , one was richly dressed , With pleasing visage , who possessed A pliant flatt ' ring tongue I

By lucky chance , he does attract The monarch ' s notice , and by tact His favour soon obtains ; And , now , by bold ambition fired , As guest , a seat he much desired , At royal table gains .

Louis his haughtiness unbends , As smiling blanoly he attends , And gracious ear accords ; Whilst the young noble ' s ready skill , Flatt ' ring his roytl master's will , Pours forth mellifluous words .

As thus intent , upon his view The luscious dainties ever new , in Their tempting forms array ; Vain his resistance , for , in sooth , His a keen palate from his youth , No gourmand , though gourmet .

One appetising dish , at hand , Its odour he could not withstand , 'Twas " Perdrix a la Reine , " Awhile forgetful , he his taste Freely indulged with eager haste . Nor ran from it refrain .

In lavish draughts novv all combine , Quaffing the generous purple wine , Our hero with the rest ; But there ' s a proverb , old no doubt , " When wine is in , the wit is out , " Then Prudence is a jest .

" O , dish divine , supremely good . Fit only for immortals' food , Ot thee I ne ' er could tire ; O , Perdrix , if Fate would decree That 1 should always feast on thee , Completed my desire . "

So spake the youth , who little thought The words , unheedful , had been caught , By King's attentive ear ; The banquet o ' er , farewell is said , Whilst Louis bowed his gracious head , To nobles far and near .

Swift pass the days on pleasuie s wing—Basking in sunshine of the king , To youth all seemed so bright . Ere long , unnoticed , from the deep , O ' ershadowing clouds of tempest creep—Obscured the brilliant light .

One day , at court , where he repaired , ( For fickle fortune unprepared ) . He met the royal Irown . The crowding courtiers , with amaze , Observed the monarch ' s stony gaze On him , of late renown .

Forbidden speech , not long delayed The royal mandate , which conveyed To prison's narrow cell The former favourite , now disgraced , Securely in the Bastille placed—Wherefore he could not tell .

Stunned by the blow , with mind confused , Answers to questions all refused , What his offence of late Although he knew not , he conceals His mental anguish , and he feels In patience he must wait .

"Coufours Perdrix."

Well-furnished chambers are assigned The youthful captive , now resigned To what fate may decree . No harsh command nor cold neglect , To treat with kindness and respect His jailers all agree .

Partridge at supper-time—the dish Seemed to anticipate his wish , Nor was there stint of wine . " With such good cheer , " the prisoner said , " I can excuse the lack of bread—Long may this fare be mine !"

Calmed was his mind by sweet repose , Refreshed at morning dawn he rose , Hunger asserts its sway . His toilet o ' er , the table sought , A sumptuous dish of partridge brought His appetite in play .

At dinner , and at supper , too , The self-same dish recurs to view—Though not so highly prized ' As ' twas at first , yet still the foi d So piquant , rich , and truly good , Was not to be despised .

Next morning , and throughout the day , The viand was the same display Of " Perdrix A la Reine , " As for each meal this dish alone , Now appetite and taste were gone , Past pleasure became pain .

Day followed day , unvaried round Of the loathed dish on table found , One ever constant fare—For other food the captive calls—Reverberate from prison walls The echoes of despair .

Each meal successive he rejects—Long fasting now his health affects—When one day , he espies Near to a corner of his bed , A hardened , mouldy crust of bread — He grasps the welcome prize .

So sweet , so pleasant to the taste , Devoured them with ravenous haste , He interruption fears ; " Ah , happy me ! " ' twas thus he said , " Delicious morsel of dry bread , Moistened with grateful tears !"

Too soon , alas I the treasure gone—When hunger calls again , alone The dish recurrent found ; Though famishing , away he turns , And as the food detested spurns , Falls fainting to the ground .

Awhile unconscious , long time ill , Slowly by court physician's skill His health becomes restored ; But , O sweet solace of past pain , Fresh simple diet now again Is seen upon the board .

News of the prisoner , day by day , The royal messengers convey Unto the king at court j When , suddenly , by his command , An edict from the monarch ' s hand , Pardon and freedom brought .

Our hero , now , at court attends By royal wish , and as he bends In homage at the throne , Louis bestows his favour bright , And bids him come , that very night , To sup with him alone .

To banquet as a royal guest Came the young nolle gaily dressed—A seat to him assigned—When from the king , a favour great , Partridge was brought on golden plate , Past suffering came to mind .

" Oh ! Sire , your pardon I implore , A toon I crave , that nevermore On me your dainties wnste ; For though withheld your favours be , Yet' Toujutirs Perdrix' is with me Abhorrent to the taste ! " F . W . DRIVER , M . A . 62 , Lancaster Road , Notting H . H , W .

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Song.

Song .

OUR BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . Behold , how like a stately tree The Craft uplifts its head , Its living branches , strong and free , How far and wide they spread :

Grounded in Faith , upheld by Hope , ( Sunshine with blessings blent ) , Whilst Charity with want can cope , Spending , yet never spent . Solo and Chorus .

Then let us Brethren , one and all , Throughout fair England ' s land , Responsive to sweet Mercy ' s call , Assist with liberal hand ! Increasing , ever , in its strength ,. 1 As speed the rolling years , . "

Come buds and blossoms , till at length , The ripening fruit appears ; Deep are its roots , in ample form Extending o ' er the ground , Beneath the branches 'gainst the storm Protective aid is found .

Solo and Chorus . —Then let us Brethren , & c . As members of our Mystic Art , Linked by fraternal ties , : . Let each enact a Brother's part ,

When want and cares arise ; As branches , strengthened in the past , May we , with one accord , Ward off Adversity ' s cold blast , And ready help afford !

Solo and Chorus . —Then let us Brethren , & c . Come , let us drink with right good will , As Masons true and free , Our noble Institution still ,

In bumpers , three times three ; Pure Charity ' s exhaustless store , Faith , Hope , Fraternal Love , May these our watchwords , evermore , Lead us to realms Above ! Solo and Chorus . —Then let us Brethren , & c . F . W . DRIVER . M . A .

Freemasonry In France.

FREEMASONRY IN FRANCE .

The Paris Correspondent of the Globe has interviewed the newly-appointed Grand Master of the Grand Orient of France , from which we extract the following : The conversation next turned on the strange ceremonies connected with Freemasonry , or , in other

words , the symbolism of the Order . Here the new Grand Priest made a most ingenious defence . " You talk of symbolism , " he said . "Why , what would humanity be without it ? The civilised man , like the savage , is impregnated with it . In all the acts of our existence symbolism is to be found . The simple ges . ture which constitutes a salute is merely a symbol . An

idea symbolised acquires extraordinary power . Thus , for example , the idea of the Fatherland symbolised in a flag arouses the most noble energies . In family life symbolism is necessary . When a child is born , when a man takes a wife , or when somebody near and dear to us disappear for ever , it is to symbolism alone that one can have recourse to give to our joys or sorrows a

form almost tangible . To satisfy these human and eternal sentiments , we are thinking more than ever of organising family ceremonies for the three principal phases of life—birth , marriage , and death . I shall endeavour to draw towards our Order families who are not satisfied with purely religious symbolism , and demand emblematical personifications of the civil

phase of human existence . Here it was suggested that perhaps the female element would be the best auxiliary in this new work , but women are not yet admitted into the lodges . "Their presence there , " says Dr . Blatin , " would be attended with more inconvenience than advantage . First of all , our adversaries , especially those in the

provinces , would not fail to attribute to us all sorts of abominable designs . Secondly , our meetings being private , the clericals would have plenty of room to indulge in their malicious imagination . It is true a female lodge exists in Paris , but it is not recognised either by the Grand Orient or by any other Masonic Order , ltlivesentirelyapartfrom all regular jurisdiction . estimable

Of course , we cannot prevent a few women , , no doubt , from meeting together to discuss the questions which interest them . In addition / it ¦ must be confessed that the women would not be able to keep the doings of the Order so secret as mig ht be desired , " Respecting secrecy , an anecdote is told . It appears that a short time ago the password for the month , comto the

municated bv the Chief of the Grand Orient members of the Order , was published by a newspaper a few days after its communication . Who and where was the guilty party ? After long inquiry he was discovered . He was a tailor , and bei . ig short of money , he sold the mot d ' ordre for ten francs to a clerical print , which lost no time in making use of it . It is unnecessary to add that the dishonest member was expelie , from the Order immediately .